Requirements to Become Eligible for Federal Disability Program
The Social Security Disability (SSD) is the biggest federally-funded program that provides financial assistance to people with severe impairment that prevent them from working.
In a study conducted the US government, a 20-year-old worker has a three out of 10 chance of becoming disabled even before reaching the retirement age of 65. With this finding, anyone should have disability insurance such as the SSD that will cover medical expenses, loss of wage, and the cost of basic needs.
Requirements for SSD
• At least 10 years employment in the US.
• Have contributed enough Social Security taxes while working. (Five percent is withheld in a worker’s monthly salary as part of his/her Social Security contribution.
• Severe or long-term disability that will prevent anyone from working. (This means a person with short-term or partial disability is not eligible.)
• Certain impairments such as blindness, mental disorders, or illnesses that affects certain organs of the body. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides a list of impairments that will determine if a person’s condition will make him/her eligible for SSD.
• Limited income
The amount of SSD benefits
The beneficiaries will receive the SSD benefits on the sixth month after their disability started. While this policy postpones the federal assistance, it is the government’s way to determine if someone is really suffering from a long-term illness.
The amount of SSD benefits will depend on the claimants’ lifetime earnings or contributions to their Social Security funds. The SSA provides a yearly statement that will show the beneficiaries their lifetime earnings and an estimation of their disability benefits.
Also, the sum of SSD benefits will be affected if a person is receiving other government assistance such as the State Disability Insurance (SDI) which is only available in five states including California, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii.
After two years of receiving SSD benefits, a person is qualified for Medicare coverage that provides financial assistance to help him/her pay the hospital expenses and other healthcare needs.
Eligible Family Members
According to federal law, some family members are eligible to receive benefits which are separate from the SSD claimants:
• Spouses aged 62 and older
• Spouses, regardless of age, who are caring for the beneficiary’s child aged 16 years and younger or with disability
• Divorced spouses aged 62 and older and who were married to the claimants for at least 10 years and not currently married to anyone (The benefits given to the divorced spouses will not reduce the claims the Social Security taxpayers and their family members will receive.)
• Unmarried children aged 18 (or 19 years old if attending high school) and younger
• Children aged 18 and older who have a disability before reaching the age of 22 years old